MH-232 Daedelus - Exquisite CorpseThe new release from Daedelus, Exquisite Corpse is an ode to, and a lament for hip-hop culture. Featuring solo contributions and collaborative efforts with guests whose performances range from traditional (MF Doom, Sci from Scienz of Life) to poetic (Mike Ladd, Cyne, Laura Darling) to experimental (Prefuse 73, Hrishikesh Hirway of the One AM Radio, TTC, Jogger), Daedelus forms the seemingly disparate elements of sound found on the album with a single-minded vision. The album's title has a triple meaning: a reference to death, a grand body of work, and the Impressionist group drawing game of the same name. The guest MCs and vocalists contrast their own styles with Daedelus' sugar-laden undercoating proving that there are no limits to what can be included on a hip-hop album.

For his new long-player, LA's self-styled hip-hop eccentric (they say he wears Edwardian clothes you know) mushes up retro soundtracks, lullaby voices and offbeat jazz into a loose beat-ridden soup. Unlike much cut'n'paste fare, there are enough memorable hooks, surprising twists and vocal contributions, from the likes of MF Doom and Mike Ladd, to stop it disappearing into a skunk-fuelled fog. Think of early DJ Shadow on mushrooms and you're close. This is a lunatic's audio collage. - BBC